Changed Tipp end league on losing note against Tyrone

LADIES FOOTBALL: Lidl National League Division 2 Round 7

Tipperary 5-5

Tyrone 5-10

Report: Michael Heverin at Clonmel Sportsfield

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Sorcha Gormley (Tyrone)

SCORERS – Tipperary: Emma Morrissey 0-4 (2 frees); Anna-Rose Kennedy, Niamh Martin, Lily Maher, Clara English, Anna Carey 1-0 each; Kirsty Crotty Ryan 0-1.

Tyrone: Aoife Horisk 3-2 (1-1 frees), Sorcha Gormley 1-5; Chloe McCaffrey 1-0, Aoibhinn McHugh, Elle McNamee Niamh O’Neill 0-1 each.

Tipperary saw an eight-point lead, two minutes before the interval, become an eight-point deficit midway through the second half, as they slumped to their third defeat in their final National League Division 2 game against Tyrone on Sunday.

Their slim promotion hopes were already gone following wins for Donegal and Mayo, but their own final day defeat was a disappointing end to an under-whelming league campaign.

The control they had shown a week earlier in the win over Donegal was sadly absent here. Another impressive opening saw them lead 3-4 to 1-2 after 28 minutes. But they then conceded three points in a row to Tyrone before half time, and another 4-2 to a single point response in the third quarter to put the Ulster side 5-7 to 3-5 ahead.

Tipperary added two further goals to the three from the first half as they battled to the end, but an impressive Tyrone side saw out the win with five points to spare.

One of the Tyrone stars was wing back Claire Canavan, daughter of the legendary Peter Canavan, but making an even greater impact at full forward was Sorcha Gormley, daughter of another former Tyrone great, Brian Gormley, who hit 1-5 in a Player of the Match display. Aoife Horisk struck 3-2, with 2-1 from play, as the Tyrone attack tore through the home defence with alarming ease at times.

Tipperary manager David Power made six changes to his starting line-up, and introduced another eight from bench, and as a result the cohesion that had been evident in many of the earlier rounds was absent. Five goals, from Lily Maher, Anna-Rose Kennedy, Niamh Martin, Clara English, and Anna Carey, were all well taken, but of more concern was the five conceded, including three in a six minute period in the second half when Tyrone were down to fourteen players with substitute Emer McCanny on a yellow card.

“The match was about giving game time to a lot of girls,” Power revealed.

“We have now used 32 in the league, and we had a very good start, our control was very good, but then we lost control and made into a game that suited Tyrone.

“When we were controlling the game, we were very good, but when we made it into a helter-skelter game, we struggled, and that’s something we have to look into from both a players and management point of view”.

The Sliabh na mBan clubman added: “We are still learning. We had more girls playing today to see if they are up to the standard and that’s good for us. But losing control was disappointing. They got through for five goals and that was a lack of application and not working hard enough. We won five of their eight kick-outs against the wind in the first half and I’d say that they won every kick-out in the second half.

“It was a decent enough league, finding out about the players, but now we have to get on with it and look ahead to the championship”.

Playing into the stiff breeze, Tipperary equalised through Emma Morrissey to an opening Tyrone score from Sorcha Gormley, before they hit their first goal in the tenth minute, Lily Maher outjumping the Tyrone keeper to tap a lofted ball from Morrissey to the net. Morrissey followed up with a free as the home side dominated possession.

But then totally against the run of play, Tyrone struck for their first goal. An Aoife Horisk free dipped low rather than over the bar and deceived keeper Lauren Fitzpatrick and defenders on the line to nestle in the net.

Tipperary responded in style and scored their second goal in the 20th minute when team captain Anna-Rose Kennedy ran onto a cross-field ball from Sarah English to volley low to the net.

After Morrissey and Horisk swapped points from frees, Tipp had their third goal when Niamh Martin finished a great move through the centre with a superb shot to the net. When Kirsty Crotty Ryan pointed a minute later, it put Tipp 3-4 to 1-2 ahead two minutes before the interval.

But then in an indication of what was to follow in the second half, the home defence switched off and allowed Tyrone through for three points in two minutes from Gormley, team captain Aoibhinn McHugh and Horisk for a 3-4 to 1-5 half time score.

Less than twenty seconds into the second half, it was 3-4 to 2-5 when Tyrone won the throw-in and Horisk raced through the centre for a brilliant goal.

Dearbhla Morrissey had replaced Lauren Fitzpatrick in goal for the second half and it proved to be a daunting introduction for the St Patrick’s player. Tyrone extended the lead with a pointed free from Niamh O’Neill.

Tipperary appeared to steady the ship when Emma Morrissey hit a great point soon after Tyrone had been reduced to fourteen players with McCanny’s yellow card, but the numerical disadvantage didn’t impact the Red Hand girls. New keeper Morrissey was left exposed as the defence was cut open for three goals in a row from Chloe McCaffrey, Sorcha Gormley and Aoife Horisk, followed by another Gormely point, for a 5-7 to 3-5 lead for the visitors, with twelve minutes left to play.

Substitutes Clara English and Anna Carey gave Tipp hope with late goals, but points from the outstanding Gormley kept distance between the sides as Tyrone and Tipperary finished fourth and fifth respectively in the league.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry 7); Ellen Moore (Moyne-Templetuohy 7), Maria Curley (Templemore 8), Lucy Spillane (Fethard 7); Emma Buckley (Cahir 7), Kate Cashman (Templemore 7), Sarah English (Ardfinnan 7); Nicole Shelly (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 7), Niamh Martin (Sliabh na mBan 8); Ava Ryan (Moyne-Templetuohy 7), Anna-Rose Kennedy (Aherlow 7), Aoibhe O’Shea (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone 7); Kirsty Crotty Ryan (Moyle Rovers 7), Lily Maher (Arravale Rovers 8), Emma Morrissey (Aherlow 8).

Subs: Dearbhla Morrissey (St Patrick’s 6) for Fitzpatrick (HT), Katelyn Downey (Boherlahan-Dualla 7) for Cashman (36), Shona Lang (Brian Borus 6) for Moore (36), Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus 6) for Shelly (43), Angela McGuigan (St Sylvester’s 7) for O’Shea (47). Anna Carey (Clonmel Commercials 7) for Crotty Ryan (47), Clara English (Ardfinnan 7) for Ryan (47), Nora Martin (Sliabh na mBan 6) for Buckley (59).

Tyrone: Laura Kane (6); Jayne Lyons (7), Ciara Colton (7), Eimear Quinn (7); Claire Canavan (8), Meabh Corrigan (7), Caitlin Campbell (7); Meabh Mallon (7), Aoibhinn McHugh (7); Aoife Quinn (7), Aoife Horisk (8), Maeve Maxwell (7); Joanne Barrett (7), Sorcha Gormley (9), Cara McNamee (7).

Subs: Niamh O’Neill (6) for McNamee (29); Slaine McCarroll (6) for A Quinn (HT); Emer McCanny (6) for Campbell (HT); Chloe McCaffrey (7) for Maxwell (37); Emma McCrossan (6) for Barrett (43); Elle McNamee (8) for McHugh (47); Katie Rose Muldoon (6) for E Quinn (47); Cara McCoubrey (7)for Canavan (52); Emma Conroy (6) for Mallon (57); Shauna Teague (NR) for Horisk (59); Caitlin Donnelly (NR) for Kane (60+2).

Referee: Conor McCarthy (Cork)